The banquet at Prince Chen's Mansion is about to begin. Zong Zhengchen prepared it personally, taking every detail into consideration, from the defense layout to safety risks to the taste of the dishes.
The night before the start, he issued an order to the secret guards:
Send Xiao Zhihua away.
He was sent to the Jiangnan area, hundreds of kilometers away, to the home of a distant cousin, who gave him generous money and arranged for a worry-free life for the rest of his life. This was the last favor to the Xiao family.
On the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, the banquet began.
morning.
Qin Ye got up very early. Yue'er and Yunying helped her dress while one added fire to the stove to make sure the room was warm.
"Princess, you don't have to get up so early. It's so cold." Yue'er breathed out white air as she spoke.
Qin Ye was in high spirits. Her almost two-month-old belly was slightly bulging, but it was not noticeable at all because of the thick clothes she was wearing.
She said, "It is finally the turn of Prince Chen's Mansion to receive gifts. I am afraid we will receive a lot of silver and many good things. I will not be able to sleep if I don't count them myself."
This made Yue'er and Yunying laugh.
How could a princess like Chen be short of this little money? If this got out, she wouldn't be afraid of being laughed at.
Qin Ye didn't have much pursuit.
Be a vulgar person, greedy for money and lustful.
I quickly got dressed, opened the door and went out. Just by listening to the lively noise outside, I could guess that there were many guests and even more gifts.
Qin Ye rubbed his hands and walked out with a smile.
"Princess, your mother is here~" Outside, a servant led An over.
When An saw her, her eyes lit up and she immediately rushed over:
"Good girl!"
Holding Qin Ye's hand, she was extremely intimate, showing the deep love between mother and daughter.
Qin Ye: “…”
When he saw An, the smile on his face faded a little, and his good mood since the morning was almost gone.
Are you so hypocritical right from the start?
He wanted to withdraw his hand, but there were many servants around. If he acted too indifferent and gossip spread, he would inevitably be criticized for his ethics.
Yun Ying narrowed her eyes and suddenly stepped forward, "Princess, it's cold and you're afraid of the cold. Put your hands in a warm bag quickly and be careful not to get cold."
She took An's hand away and separated the two of them.
"If you catch a cold and something happens to you, and it affects the little master in your belly, the prince will be distressed."
An's hand froze in mid-air, and he withdrew it awkwardly:
"Look how excited I am. It's my fault for not being considerate. It's mainly because I'm just too happy to see you."
She touched the tip of her nose to ease the embarrassment and said with a smile:
"We haven't seen each other for a long time. You are pregnant now. I have to come to Prince Chen's Mansion more often. I have experience in childbirth."
She was obviously trying to please him.
Now Princess Chen is pregnant, and it is not known whether the baby is a boy or a girl. Those who want to curry favor with her have lined up outside the city.
Yun Ying said, "Madam, don't worry. The prince has already arranged everything. The maid he invited is the most experienced in the imperial capital and is more useful than the imperial physician in the palace."
The implication is: I am more useful than you.
She could see that the princess did not have a good relationship with An, and after serving her for some time, she knew a lot about the major and minor situations in the imperial capital.
After saying that, he helped Qin Ye and left:
"The prince is still waiting in the front hall. Let's go over there quickly and don't keep him waiting for too long."
With just a few words, An was sent to the side, and his clever words would not offend anyone.
Qin Ye raised his eyebrows.
She could feel at peace without saying anything. This girl Yunying was indeed a smart girl and she loved her very much.
An, who was left out, said: "..."